Ever wish that you could say what you really feel about something going on in Klal? Ever wonder just why Klal acts/thinks the way it does? Here members of Klal can have the conversations they should be having but that aren't happening elsewhere, except, perhaps, in whispered conversations in dark corners. Say what you mean here, and let us hope that some conversation now will lead to changes later, some changes that are long overdue in Klal.

Monday, October 3, 2011

What Would a Smart School Do #2

Many services that are available in the public schools are also available to yeshivas on site if certain procedures are followed. Among these services are a number of different types of special ed and therapy programs. The main procedure that must be followed is that the personnel provided by the public school system cannot be in rooms that are clearly for religious use as well. This means that regular classrooms, with both their limudei kodesh and secular studies bulletin boards and in-class paraphernalia, are off limits. Most yeshivas would have no trouble finding a neutral nook that could be easily and inexpensively converted for the use of the personnel providing the free services. Some yeshivas have on staff specialists in just the service areas that Board of Ed would provide for free. Let's say that a yeshiva only spends in the $100-200K range on the salaries for this special ed/therapy staff (and yes, these specialists are pricey in salary requirements). In a school with 400 students, the savings would be a $500 reduction in tuition per child. If the school spends more than the 100-200K (and some do) then obviously the tuition reduction would be greater. If the school has less than 400 students the tuition reduction would also be greater.Okay, some are looking at the low figure of $500 and sneering--not much of a reduction. Here's the thing: this is one of many deductions that could be made, and they all add up. Are you really going to turn down a reduction of $2500 for your 5 kids? Note: Yes, I am well aware of what this might do to some of our frum college students--females in particular--since a large number of them major in the various special ed and therapy fields precisely because they know/believe they will find employment within the yeshiva circle. They might--gasp!--have to work for the Board of Education and take their chances that perhaps, maybe they might be assigned to a frum school.

6 comments:

Anonymous
said...

Most services to yeshiva students are either already handled by the public school system in neutral sites (such as trailers), or privately paid for by parents. There are very, very few occupational, speech, and physical therapists on the direct payroll of private yeshivas.

Say you are right anon. School where my daughters go doesn't have any therapists. They don't have any board of education people coming in either. My friend pays for 2 kids who need therapy over 300 dollars per week that is not covered by her insurance. Since the school could be providing the service for free but chooses not to that means that her 'tuition' costs are an extra 300+ per week. You do the math. Also because she has these added expenses for the kids she can't afford the full tuition the school charges so they get a reduction in tuition. The school loses money and so does my friend.

"Among these services are a number of different types of special ed and therapy programs"

as far as i know, certainly in NY, day schools do not have therapists or 1-on-1 special ed staff (resource room is a different story) on payroll. these are already being paid for by the state. (one glaring exception i can think of is sinai in NJ)

"The main procedure that must be followed is that the personnel provided by the public school system cannot be in rooms that are clearly for religious use as well."

you do understand that basically this means in the yard or a stairwell (some schools use the hallway for therapy, which i think is inappropriate and probably doesn't follow the law)

"I am well aware of what this might do to some of our frum college students . . . They might--gasp!--have to work for the Board of Education"

a) therapists in schools don't work for the board of ed, but rather for private contracting agencies that get reimbursed by the state. they are *not* DOE or city/state employees

b) these days anyone who goes into a therapy field with the intent of working for a private contracting agency (whether in day schools or EI) rather than for the DOE in a public school needs to have their head examined. the frum girls' honeymoon with the therapies is over.

Abba: Some public schools do have various therapist, i.e. speech, occupational, etc. directly on staff. It varies a lot from district to district. Also, what the state pays for and where and by whom also varies from state to state. Finally, even if the state/district would or is required to provide therapists to come to the private school, the school probably can't require them to adhere to their dress code, so that might mean females in sleeveless dresses in the warm weather and bare knees.

"b) these days anyone who goes into a therapy field with the intent of working for a private contracting agency (whether in day schools or EI) rather than for the DOE in a public school needs to have their head examined. the frum girls' honeymoon with the therapies is over."

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I'm a wife, mother, daughter, sister and friend. I believe that activism can be a force for change. I blog because I believe that an exchange of information can be a positive force in the Jewish world. For comments about Conversations In Klal please write to conversationsinklal@hotmail.com. For comments about Jewish Community Services please write to jewishcommunityservices@live.com